Esther 4:9 says, And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. When Hatach returned to Esther, he told her what Mordecai had said. He was simply a faithful go-between. We are also to be simply obedient go-betweens when we share God’s message to with the world today. We cannot change what it says, any more than Hatach could have changed what Mordecai said and been a faithful servant to Esther.
Verse ten adds, Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; Esther then gave Hatach another message for Mordecai. He was still a go-between, and he might have been putting his life in danger by being one. I am sure Esther didn’t want harm to come to him, but she needed his service. We may put our life in danger by doing what God calls us to do, but we cannot allow that to keep us from doing it.
Verse eleven continues, All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. Esther reminded Mordecai of the decree that anyone who came to the king without being called would be put to death, and that she had not been called for thirty days. There was an exception for when the king held out the golden scepter to them if they came uninvited. Matthew Henry said this was a bad law for both the king and his subjects, since it put limitations on both, but that it was especially bad for the wives, who could only come when called. He said this gave the king time to enjoy his concubines without worry about the wife finding him doing so. We could say that Jesus Christ is our golden scepter with the Heavenly Father, giving us access to Him at any time. We can also be certain that God never limits mankind's ability to come to Him because He is doing something wrong.
Verse twelve concludes, And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. It says they told Mordecai Esther’s words, so I assume Hatach had others accompanying him when he went to Mordecai. I do know that it is always good to have someone else with us if we are doing something for God that might be dangerous, but only to give us moral support and not to put them in danger.
Verse thirteen states, Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. Mordecai sent word back to Esther that she should not think since she was also a Jew that she would be spared from the decree. We can also be certain that as sinners ourselves that we will never be spared from the penalty of sin if we do not accept God’s gift of salvation by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Just as Esther wasn’t exempt then without the king’s intervention, neither are we exempt from the penalty of sin, which is everlasting separation from God, without His intervention, which He supplies to all who will accept it.
Verse fourteen adds, For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Mordecai said that if Esther didn’t go to the king and appeal to him to lift the decree that the Jews would be saved by another deliverer. He still had faith in God’s promise to the people of Israel. We will never have another deliverer than Jesus Christ, but if we don’t share the gospel with others, God will send another to do so. Mordecai then asked if it was possible that she had come into the kingdom for a time such as this. In other words, maybe God had placed her in this position of being the queen in order to work through her to save the Jews. If we are confronted with danger in sharing the gospel today, we need to ask if God might have put us in this position at this time so that we can help others be delivered from the penalty of sin by calling on them to put their faith in Jesus Christ.
Verse fifteen continues, Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
Verse sixteen says, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther sent word back to Mordecai asking that he gather all the Jews in Shushan to fast and pray for her for three days and that she and her maidens would do the same thing. She then said that at the end of those three days that she would go to the king even though it was against the law of the kingdom and that if she perished, she would perish trying to make a difference for her people. We need to ask for the prayers of others if we find ourselves confronted with a situation that could put us in danger under the laws of man as we share the gospel, but we need to obey God no matter what. We will one day perish no matter what, but it is better to perish doing God’s will than to perish being afraid to do so.
Verse seventeen adds, So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Mordecai then went on his way and did as Esther asked. He was placing himself and other Jews in an open position where they could be easily rounded up and killed, but he was willing to do so, just as we must openly stand with Jesus Christ and our fellow believers today. We must do what God commands us to do.
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